By Obakeng Maje
Tswaing Municipality started disconnecting electricity without giving the legal notice as required to consumers as part of their Credit Control Policy on Friday last week, says DA in the province.

DA media liaison officer Tiaan Kotze said disconnection occurred without reconciling accounts. 

“Many consumers paid their accounts over the past 2 years, but did not receive credit on their accounts for these payments to date” Kotze said.

A supermarket which is a rented building in Ottosdal was disconnected with a paid-up account at the municipality while all legal procedures were followed in signing a new contract with Tswaing and payment of the required deposit 2 years ago. 

DA said the owner has never failed to pay the account during this period. 

“They were disconnected because the owner of the building has an outstanding bill with Tswaing. They had to acquire legal assistance to reconnect them before loss of products in cold storage occurred” he said.

The Democratic Alliance in Tswaing agrees that Credit Control should be enforced legally.  But the Consumers have a right to be issued with a correct account reflecting all the payments paid to Tswaing before disconnections can be enforced. 

“The Finance Department should know that a consumer must be given a final notice informing the consumer of the proposed disconnection before any disconnection of electricity occurs” he outlines. 

The Democratic Alliance said they further demand that Tswaing follow the prescribed Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) procedure when disconnecting electricity of Consumers. 

Kotze said when lists for disconnection are compiled there should be no discrimination against account holders but all consumers at fault are treated equal and not only selected ones.

“When the disconnection were done, all the telephones were switched off and consumers could not make contact with the Municipal Manager, the acting Chief Finance Officer (CFO) or the Credit Control Manager.” 

“Electricity of some of the consumers was only restored on Sunday without making contact with the relevant responsible officials” says Kotze.

The DA said they will hold this executive to account to ensure that fairness and equality returns to Tswaing Local Municipality.-TDN
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